The Courtyard House: Xu Damao's Aunt is the Queen of Women

Baoding, South District.

Shaniu Hutong, formerly known as Sha Niu Hutong, got its name from the fact that it was once a gathering place for people who slaughtered cattle. Later, it was renamed Shaniu Hutong. Nearby is Sazhu Hutong, formerly known as Sha Zhu Hutong.

The home of He Daqing, the widow, was located at No. 18 Shaniu Hutong. It was a courtyard house with one entrance, and the He family lived in the main house.

In 1951, He Daqing came to Baoding with his three sons, and found a job at the Second Machinery Factory, which was less than five miles away from Shaniu Hutong, thanks to his cooking skills.

He Daqing was much smarter than Sha Zhu. He kept his salary to himself and was also very tactful. He had worked at the Second Machinery Factory for thirteen years and was already the deputy director of the canteen, earning a monthly salary of fifty-five yuan. With other hidden income, he made about seventy yuan a month and lived a very comfortable life.

As the old widow grew older and her beauty faded, he began to dislike her and sought out two young and beautiful widows outside, not returning home for ten days or half a month at a time.

In the main room, the 47-year-old widow Bai, her 27-year-old eldest son Bai Yanzhong, 25-year-old Bai Yancheng, and 23-year-old Bai Yanping sat by the fireplace, discussing in hushed tones how to get He Daqing's savings, buy a car, a work station, and get married.

The three sons of the widow are all the same: lazy, good-for-nothing, and unrealistic. As a result, they are all over twenty years old and still haven't gotten married. They live off their parents every day, relying on the ten yuan that He Daqing gives them each month and the meager income that the widow earns by sewing shoe soles and mending clothes for others.

With his pointed face and sinister expression, Bai Yanzhong said coldly, "Mom, I waited at the entrance of the Second Machinery Factory today and followed that old beast He Daqing. I found out where his bastard woman lives. Tomorrow we'll catch him in the act..."

Knock, knock, knock! The door was suddenly knocked on, startling the mother and her four children.

Bai Lao Er got up to open the door. Standing in front of the door were Wang Hansheng, deputy captain of the Fifth Brigade of the Social Education Corps of Nanshi District; Ma Xingguo, head of the Public Security Section of the Nanshi District Public Security Bureau; Liang Tingzheng, director of the Yuhua Police Station, which is in charge of the Shaniu Hutong area; and four members of the Social Education Corps and four police officers.

Bai Lao Er, who was known for being a bully at home but a wolf at work, turned pale with fright and stood frozen in place.

He knew Liang Tingzheng and thought that the shady things the three brothers had done in the past had been discovered.

"This...this...this..."

Liang Tingzheng glared at Bai Lao Er with disgust, then looked at Widow Bai and said in a deep voice, "This is Captain Wang from the South District Social Education Corps, and Section Chief Ma from the Public Security Bureau's Security Section. Is He Daqing home?"

"Huh? Old He isn't home! Did he get into trouble?"

Widow Bai's heart clenched, not because she was worried about He Daqing, but because she feared that He Daqing's actions would jeopardize the future of her three sons.

"He did commit a crime. Do you know where he is?"

Widow Bai's face changed drastically. She gritted her teeth in anger, but dared not hide the truth and said, "He Daqing went to see his lover."

Wang Hansheng and the others exchanged glances, thinking that He Daqing was indeed old in years but young at heart.

Ma Xingguo asked, "Do you know where He Daqing's lover lives?"

The white widow instinctively looked at her eldest son.

Bai Yanzhong, even more cowardly, hurriedly said, "Director Liang, I know where He Daqing is. He's in courtyard number 95 on Tuanjie Hutong. His lover's name is Yang Tianxiu."

Without further ado, Liang Tingzheng, Ma Xingguo, and Wang Hansheng left two policemen to take statements from the widow and her three children, and headed straight for Tuanjie Hutong, which was not far away.

……

No. 95, Tuanjie Hutong.

This is a three-courtyard siheyuan (traditional courtyard house), housing more than a dozen families. Yang Tianxiu and her daughter lived in the back room of the front courtyard.

Yang Tianxiu is only twenty-four years old this year. She got married at eighteen, gave birth to a daughter the following year, and her husband was beaten to death for cheating at gambling the third year. Her mother-in-law, who was in poor health, passed away due to excessive grief.

Yang Tianxiu, in the prime of her life, took a male-only job in the kitchen of the Second Machinery Factory. Before long, she started an affair with He Daqing, the deputy director.

To make things easier, He Daqing rented a room in courtyard number 95 of Tuanjie Hutong, right next to Yang Tianxiu, using his apprentice's identity.

At nine o'clock in the evening, Yang Tianxiu's daughter, Lü Qingqing, fell asleep. Yang Tianxiu went to He Daqing's room, where He Daqing, who had been waiting for a long time, rubbed his hands together, chuckled, and reached out to hug Yang Tianxiu.

"Xiuer, you're so beautiful!"

Yang Tianxiu winked and giggled, "Prettier than that vixen Li Hongmei?"

He Daqing's smile froze, and he thought to himself that he should be more careful in the future and not let Yang Tianxiu find out.

"I've completely broken things off with her; from now on, I'll only be with you!"

"Hmph, when are you going to divorce that haggard wife and marry me?"

He Daqing was furious when this issue was brought up.

All those years of investing so much in the White Widow and her three sons have resulted in raising three ungrateful widows.

While we still have the energy, let's have another one!

"I'll divorce her in three months at the latest, and we'll get married. You'd better give me a son."

"I married you, isn't it only natural that I bear you a son?"

He Daqing grinned, picked up Yang Tianxiu and put her on the kang (a heated brick bed). He quickly disarmed her, and the battle was about to begin.

Just as they were getting into the zone, there was a knock on the door next door, and Lu Qingqing's groggy voice came through.

Who are you?

"Little girl, I'm looking for your mother. Is she home?"

"I...I think my mom is next to me..."

Yang Tianxiu and He Daqing, who were on the kang (a heated brick bed), exchanged a glance and hurriedly put on their clothes.

Knock, knock, knock. Liang Tingzheng called out, "Yang Tianxiu, this is Liang Tingzheng, the director of Yuhua Police Station. Is He Daqing inside?"

Huh? You weren't looking for me?

Yang Tianxiu, who was hurriedly buttoning her clothes, paused for a moment and turned to look at He Daqing.

"Great Qing, have you committed a crime?"

"How is that possible!"

He Daqing quickly dressed and went to open the door.

"Director Liang, what's going on here?"

Liang Tingzheng had no interest in dealing with He Daqing and Yang Tianxiu's illicit affair, because He Daqing's falsification of his family background was a much more serious matter; he had heard that even the head of the Xicheng District Public Security Bureau in the capital had been arrested.

"He Daqing, this is Captain Wang of the South District Social Education Corps!"

Social Education Corps!

He Daqing was struck dumb, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat, and he was terrified.

Wang Hansheng said sternly, "He Daqing, listen up! Your crime of bribing Yue Zhigang to falsify your background has been officially investigated by the Dongcheng District Social Education Corps based on reports from the public. They have sent a letter to our bureau to arrest you and immediately escort you back to the capital for investigation!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two policemen stepped forward, took out Type 55 handcuffs, and snapped them onto He Daqing's wrists.

He Daqing's legs went weak, and he stammered, "I...I'm innocent!"

Wang Hansheng scoffed, "Injustice? A third-generation farm laborer with a Beijing household registration? You've really opened my eyes!"

The dozen or so neighbors who gathered around were dumbfounded, their heads buzzing.

Urban residents who are employed by farmers?

He Daqing's face turned pale, and he cursed himself for being so stupid back then, for not considering this loophole.

It's over, it's over!

Are those two old, childless women, Deaf Old Lady Yi Zhonghai, trying to harm me? Or did that simpleton Sha Zhu offend someone and get revenge?